Novopay post-implementation review confirmed

Review of troubled teachers payroll system to begin early 2013

After questions were asked in Select Committee hearings this week about a post-implementation review for the troubled Novopay education payroll system, the Ministry of Education has confirmed that the review will be held into Novopay, as is usual for major public-sector ICT projects.

Associate Education Minister Craig Foss has welcomed confirmation of a review.

The review will be done by a team independent of the project, as is usual when problems have emerged during development. If everything had gone smoothly, the review would more likely have been done internally, a spokesperson says. However, the review will not be advanced unduly because of the troubles with the system; it will begin in early 2013; this is close to the normal timetable for post-implementation reviews.

“There are several key milestones coming up including end-of-year and start-of-year payments, it is important they are captured by the review,” the minister says.

“It’s also important that the review does not detract from the immediate focus of getting the payroll system running to its full potential. Right now the focus is on getting school staff paid accurately and on time,” says Foss.

Last week the company that built Novopay, Talent2, apologised for the inconvenience that payment disruptions and inaccuracies in the system have had.